NeedleInTheHay
Greenlighter
Nice post ScottD. Kokaino, you and skn are both right, to some degree. 6-MAM and Morphine are both direct metabolites of Heroin. 6-MAM is an active metabolite, which further metabolizes into morphine.
That's why a standard UA tests for Morphine, but a Heroin-specific UA tests for 6-MAM.
"Metabolism/Metabolites:
Heroin is a prodrug. After IV administration, it is rapidly converted to 6-acetylmorphine and then more slowly to morphine. .... With oral administration, first-pass metabolism results in only morphine being produced.
[Dart, R.C. (ed). Medical Toxicology. Third Edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Philadelphia, PA. 2004., p. 1123] **PEER REVIEWED**
Heroin (diacetylmorphine) is rapidly hydrolyzed to 6-monoacetylmorphine, which, in turn, is hydrolyzed to morphine. Heroin and 6-monoacetylmorphine are more lipid soluble than morphine and enter the brain more readily. Evidence suggests that morphine and 6-monoacetylmorphine are responsible for the pharmacological actions of heroin. Heroin is excreted mainly in the urine largely as free and conjugated morphine.
[Hardman, J.G., L.E. Limbird, P.B., A.G. Gilman. Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 11th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2006., p. 566] **PEER REVIEWED** "
That's why a standard UA tests for Morphine, but a Heroin-specific UA tests for 6-MAM.
"Metabolism/Metabolites:
Heroin is a prodrug. After IV administration, it is rapidly converted to 6-acetylmorphine and then more slowly to morphine. .... With oral administration, first-pass metabolism results in only morphine being produced.
[Dart, R.C. (ed). Medical Toxicology. Third Edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Philadelphia, PA. 2004., p. 1123] **PEER REVIEWED**
Heroin (diacetylmorphine) is rapidly hydrolyzed to 6-monoacetylmorphine, which, in turn, is hydrolyzed to morphine. Heroin and 6-monoacetylmorphine are more lipid soluble than morphine and enter the brain more readily. Evidence suggests that morphine and 6-monoacetylmorphine are responsible for the pharmacological actions of heroin. Heroin is excreted mainly in the urine largely as free and conjugated morphine.
[Hardman, J.G., L.E. Limbird, P.B., A.G. Gilman. Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics. 11th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 2006., p. 566] **PEER REVIEWED** "
